At least seven individuals have died and many others remain unaccounted for in the wake of a vessel carrying about 200 people trying to get to European shores overturned off the coast of the Gambian coast, officials state.
The vessel capsized in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of the village of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was afterwards located "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been saved to date and a search is continuing for those still missing who were on board the capsized craft that was heading towards the Spanish Canary Islands.
The hazardous trip over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into Europe.
Close to 47,000 people reached the Spanish archipelago in the year 2024 and estimates in excess of 9,000 people perished in the attempt.
Search and Rescue Efforts
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy began a rescue mission, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing boat that came to assist, the defence ministry said.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who died have been retrieved, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
An Established Corridor
Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants attempting to enter Europe, typically through perilous trips across ocean and terrain.
Over the past few years, the EU has established pacts with multiple Maghreb states aimed at reducing undocumented migration.
